


A different life

by idk_ilike5sos



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Angst, Heartache, Liam Dunbar is Theo Raeken's Anchor, M/M, Mentioned Scott McCall (Teen Wolf), Oblivious Theo Raeken, One Shot, One Year Later, Theo Raeken Loves Liam Dunbar
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-17
Updated: 2020-12-17
Packaged: 2021-03-11 00:55:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,616
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28136568
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/idk_ilike5sos/pseuds/idk_ilike5sos
Summary: A year after the anuk-ite, and a year after Theo and Liam had last seen each other, Liam shows up at Theo's home needing his help. But Theo needs to decide if he should help or not...
Relationships: Liam Dunbar/Theo Raeken
Comments: 6
Kudos: 32





	A different life

**Author's Note:**

> Not beta read, I just finished this short fic and wanted to upload it 🤷

Two knocks hit Theo's front door. The first hesitant and uncertain followed by it's louder and more urgent friend. The rest of the apartment silenced within the echoes at the thinner than preferred wood.

Theo's senses were playing tricks on him, it was the only logical explanation. Because there was no other reason as to why he heard Liam's heartbeat at the other side of the door, after not seeing him for over a year. He tried to ignore it; but curiosity took control when the scent lingered through the crack beneath the door.

A third knock, almost scared and regretful but somehow frustrated too, hit the door when Theo found himself only a few feet away. His body jolted back, telling himself that it was a sign: he didn't want to see Liam, he wasn't  _ ready _ to see him.

The last time their paths had crossed was when Theo drove him home from the hospital, once the anuk-ite had been defeated.

_ "Do you wanna come in?" Liam had asked, almost desperately. _

_ "Better not." _

_ "Yeah… yeah." Then he turned away and went into his house. _

Despite his better judgement, Theo took the steps closer - making sure to avoid creaky floor boards and to keep his feet light incase he wanted to turn away at the last second, which felt like a likely outcome. He took a deep breath in and grasped tightly on the handle. He exhaled and when running out of air to waste time on he pulled the door towards him.

Theo was almost as surprised to find Liam there as he wasn't. To be fair, he had blamed any form of awareness of the boy on his tainted senses.

"You should learn to lock your door, I could've broken in ten times within the time it took you to get here," He said like it was useful information and like Theo was in no way capable of defending himself or the few things he had to his name.

"You could've still broken in if the door was locked," He replied, suddenly feeling the annoyance he commonly did towards Liam, but this time he found it harder to get round his aching heart to be comforted by Liam's warmed aura.

"I need your help." Liam cut to the chase, no longer caring for the small talk that Theo didn't want in the first place.

"If it's about breaking into someone's house then I think you've got it all covered." Theo closed the door in Liam's face and twisted on his hills, heading back in the direction of the living room area.

Unsurprisingly, Liam reopened the door and followed him in.

"See? You've got this all covered." He turned to him and continued walking backwards. "Goodbye."

"There's something new in Beacon Hills." Liam ignored him like he expected Theo not to do the same.

"I know." He could recall the sensation of bitter frost and sharpened winds that were signs of a greater power he'd had drilled into his head as a kid.

"Then why aren't you helping already?"

"Not my job." He shrugged and sat down on his couch. Liam frowned and put his hands on his hips. "I've learnt to stay out of death's way."

Liam walked around the back of the couch and sat at the opposite end, then watched him expectantly.

But instead of giving in, Theo raised his eyebrows and picked up the book he'd been reading before getting suffocated by the question of Liam close by. Though he'd be lying if he said that having his thoughts concluded was any better then not.

Sighing obnoxiously, Liam hit his head back against the arm of the couch. Then repeated the process for a solid minute before Theo couldn't take it anymore.

"Why do you need  _ my _ help?" He put the book on the coffee table with the pages still flipped open - as if stating that his attention span would be limited.

"Because no one knew more about the supernatural then the Dread Doctors-" Theo visibly stiffened and Liam didn't try to pretend he didn't notice, his voice softened and he spoke more slowly as he sat up straight, "-and since you spent almost half your life with them you have to know something we don't."

Theo momentarily considered kicking Liam out. He didn't want to see him leave, but he didn't want to revisit any memories from the Dread Doctors even more. But he  _ did _ want to help. And he didn't want to be the reason why more innocent people died…

"What are we up against?" His throat fell dry with too many traces of regret.

"Witches," He said anxiously: as if not knowing if they'd show up by just being mentioned or not.

"Good luck," He scoffed.

"Theo…" He pleaded.

_ Oh. _ There it was. There's that warmth he always used to carry: that thing that Theo found difficult to ignore no matter how hard he tried. He missed it and during the split moment it wasn't there he was lost.

What would someone say to the person who used to anchor their cold-hearted ways? Because that's what Liam did. It's what he did to that very day; whether they were in contact or not, whether Liam hated him or not, he still guided him to make the right choices.

And as cliche as it sounded, he really was his weakness. He couldn't help but give in to anything that Liam could ever ask for.

"They have one weakness."

"Mistletoe?"

Theo shook his head. "It's this old purple berry, I can't remember what it's called but I'm sure Deaton would. You need the juices from it and a direct hit to the heart, then the witch'll be too weak to cause any harm and dead within minutes."

"Is that it?" He frowned, seeming disappointed.

"Don't worry, it'll be a lot harder than it sounds." Theo picked up his book.

"Where do we find the berries?"

"Wouldn't be surprised if Argent's already got plenty," He mumbled as he scanned the pages for his place.

"And if he doesn't?"

"He will." Theo didn't know if he would, he'd be stunned if Argent had even heard of it, but he wanted the conversation to hurry up and be over with. He wanted Liam to leave already so he could continue with his miserable life without him. But Liam didn't budge. Even as he focused all his senses on the stupid book in his hands he could feel Liam's eyes on him.

"Why-" Liam's voice cracked and his jaw snapped shut when Theo's eyes peered up at him. "I like hanging out with you."

"You do?" His eyebrows raised. Liam nodded. He scoffed, "So you like near death experiences?"

"It's more enjoyable with you." He shrugged. The corner of Theo's mouth twitched.

"Haven't you got somewhere to be? I'm sure Scott would want to know about the berries."

"Yeah… yeah," His eyebrows furrowed and he nodded as he stood up.

Theo got up too and walked him to the door.

"So, I'll- I'll see you around?" He asked, almost desperately.

"Probably not." Theo shrugged and looked away, tightening his grip on the door handle.

"Oh… okay." He gulped and opened his mouth slightly as if to say something, but turned and began to walk away instead.

Theo closed the door, as far from satisfied with Liam's visit as he could be.

It'd taken longer than he'd expected when first having to accept the absence of the beta, but he knew that it'd take even longer this time and he prayed that it'd be the last. Because Liam not being around wasn't like your average teenage heartbreak, it was losing the only good thing he could ever get close to calling his. But Liam didn't want him. He never stuck around for any longer than necessary: so it was pointless for Theo to try to bend life's plan of the inevitable.

But when Theo had started to make his way back to the couch another three knocks hit his door: all as desperate as each other. Theo froze in his tracks and focused his hearing: Liam was still there. It was faint, but noticeable nonetheless. Why had he come back?

Theo had a choice to make. Let Liam back in, reopening a life that he struggled with for months to leave behind, or don't, allow life to move on. And without needing a second thought he knew what he needed to do.

See, when Theo was brought back from the skinwalkers prison he'd been put into a similar predicament. He could follow his old path, fight for what was not rightfully his, or to stop holding a grudge against the world for not saving him, it was his own doing after all.

Just like this was.

So he knew that scraping himself back to the past would be a bad idea...

It'd be like grabbing hold of the ropes from something miles away and no matter how hard he'd try to rein it back in it'd just keep pulling in the other direction. So he'd have to let go again before it dragged him into the deep end, but he'd be left with more burns that'd quickly blister. The blisters would scar and become unremovable.

The next thing he'd know it, everyone would be living his perfect life without him; whilst he'd be stuck in the position he should have left two years ago. But he didn't. Because he reopened the gateway.

And so with each step further away from the front door it was like adding another padlock to the gate, eventually there were too many to ever be able to open it again.

**Author's Note:**

> Sorry for my first sad ending :/
> 
> Either way though, I hope you still enjoyed! A Christmas fic is complete and waiting to be uploaded on Christmas day, so stay tuned :)
> 
> My social media's are listed in my bio if anyone wants to reach me or just follow me in general (I am most active on tumblr).
> 
> Kudos, comments, bookmarks and subscriptions are all very appreciated!
> 
> See you next week, love you all, bye! 🖤🖤


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